While most doctors prefer to treat hypertension with various prescription medicines and drastic diet changes, there are several natural hypertension treatments that have also proven effective in reducing stress and managing high blood pressure. Some of the most common treatments include non-traditional forms of exercise, meditation and breathing techniques, and massage. These natural hypertension treatments can also be used in conjunction with one another with little risk of harmful interactions.
Unlike traditional high-impact exercises, such as jogging, lifting weights, or aerobic activity, non-traditional exercise tends to focus more on relaxation and flexibility. Often based in Eastern traditions, yoga and tai chi are two examples of unconventional forms of exercise that can be extremely effective in reducing stress levels and lowering blood pressure, thereby decreasing the overall effects of hypertension. Both of these activities are based on a series of poses and movements that also help improve muscle tone and overall fitness levels as well.
While hypnosis may not seem like one of the more effective natural hypertension treatments, it has proven beneficial in scientific studies. The hypnosis is not intended to directly eliminate hypertension, but rather to work on some of the more important factors that may trigger the hypertension in the first place. A hypnosis session will focus largely on stress, as it is one of the largest contributing factors to hypertension. Hypnosis is not a quick fix, but rather a slow process that trains the body to enter a state of complete relaxation when needed to stave off the effects of hypertension.
Along the same lines as the above treatments, meditation and breathing techniques are also very effective natural hypertension treatments. Some of the techniques are derived directly from practices such as tai chi or yoga, but tend to focus solely on relaxation and not fitness. Individuals suffering from hypertension are often taught brief meditation exercises to do several times a day, often right before stressful situations, to clear the mind. Breathing exercises, on the other hand, are often designed to quickly drop stress levels as they begin to rise, which is good for practice while in the midst of a stressful situation.
Another one of the more effective natural hypertension treatments is basic massage. By manipulating the muscles of the body in specific ways, a massage can help relieve tension from those areas and create a more relaxed state of mind. While the thought of regular massages may seem costly, there are typically a number of massage schools that offer deeply discounted rates in exchange for letting students who have completed classes perform the massage.